The Charmer’s Gambit (Mershano Empire Book 2)

by Lexi C. Foss

  His brow furrowed. “Because you’re brilliant. Why would I hire another lawyer when I could have you?” He sounded genuinely confused, which placated me a little. It meant he’d recruited me for the right reasons.

  “But what about Garrett? Surely he wouldn’t mind representing Mershano Vineyards.”

  “He manages my personal estate. I needed a corporate lawyer, and your work with Sarah’s contract impressed me. Did you think I only hired you to get you into bed?” The last was said with a twinkle in his eye. “Because although that might be a benefit of working together, it wasn’t part of my decision process. I would never hire a woman just to sleep with her, and I believe I’ve proven that I would never need to either.”

  I rolled my eyes. “So cocky.”

  “I’ve more than earned my confidence, darlin’.” He smiled against my lips. “Or do you require a reminder?” I opened my mouth to reply, and he silenced me with his tongue. My toes curled from the sensual assault. The man possessed the mouth of a god, and he knew it. Each skillful twist set my blood on fire. I clung to him and held on for the ride as he devoured me. My legs went around his waist as he lifted me off the ground and pushed me up against the wall. I shivered as the cool air caressed my exposed thighs. Will’s hands rivaled his mouth, stroking and touching me in all the right ways.

  “Would you like your reminder out here or in the room?” he asked, his voice a whisper.

  I shivered as he pressed his arousal into my hot center. The scrap of lace between my thighs allowed me to feel every pulse of his hard length through his slacks. We’d barely started, and already I was eager for him to take me. I fisted my hand in his hair to force his mouth back to mine.

  “Here,” I demanded before giving myself to him in a kiss. All the frustration from our first fight went into my embrace, culminating in a meeting of mouths that was all about confirming what he meant to me. I wanted him now and for always, and I would fight with my dying breath to make this work. He returned the emotions in kind and tore my dress over my head. It left me in stockings and a thong. I’d not worn a bra today, something he seemed to luxuriate in as his mouth dropped to my breasts.

  “You’re fucking perfect.” His words were filled with a reverence that left me breathless. “You still owe me a lingerie show, but I do like these.” He traced the navy lace strip over my hip and down the crease of my thigh. “We’ll have to replace them.”

  I yelped as he ripped them off of me, leaving me in nothing but my garters and silk stockings. It struck me that I was completely exposed and the only thing protecting my dignity was Will. He still wore his slacks and dress shirt, and for whatever reason, that only seemed to turn me on more. I pressed against his hard ridge with a moan.

  “I need you, Will. Now.”

  His chuckle vibrated my neck as he trailed kisses up the column of my throat. “What are you willing to do for it?” He palmed my ass with one hand while the other drifted south of my belly button.

  When he thrummed my clit, I bucked into his hand and groaned, “Anything.”

  “Anything, hmm?” His tone was filled with dark amusement. “Even call me ‘sir’?” He pinched my sensitive bundle of nerves, making me see stars. It left me panting against him and aching with a need only he could soothe.

  “I’ll call you whatever the hell you want if you fuck me right now.” It came out louder than I intended, but the man was driving me crazy.

  “That’s what I thought,” he murmured. “Unbuckle my pants, Rachel.”

  I ran my hand down his crisp shirt to the belt at his waist and trembled as I loosened the leather from his hips. He kept massaging my sensitive nub but withheld the pressure I craved. Each sensuous caress stoked the flames deep inside me, keeping them burning hot without allowing it to boil over.

  “You’re killing me,” I managed in a pained whisper.

  “Keep going,” he urged after I popped the button on his pants. My fingers shook as I tugged down the zipper. “You know what I want you to do, Rachel.” And I did, because it was exactly what I wanted. I tugged his heavy member free from the briefs and pressed him against my wet heat. He felt so smooth and hot against me, so right. I shifted up to position him where I needed him and felt him tense. When he pulled a condom from his pocket, I glared at it. Protection was important, but it always ruined the moment.

  “I’m on birth control,” I breathed. “And I’m healthy.”

  “We’ll properly discuss that later.” He ripped the packet open with his teeth and rolled the condom on one-handed. His other hand was busy holding me up with his palm on my ass. When his cock returned to my entrance, I quivered. “Hold on, gorgeous.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck as he slammed home inside of me. No gentle prodding or exploring, just hard, fast fucking, and it felt amazing. Each thrust sent me higher, to a place only Will could take me. Knowing the city existed just over his shoulder sent a sinful thrill through me and heightened my pleasure. It felt dangerous, and wrong, and all kinds of right.

  My head dropped to his shoulder with a shudder as pleasure warmed me inside. This was the part I loved, the part where I teetered on the edge of that special world created by Will. The one filled with bliss and passion and wonder. He drilled me harder, scraping my back against the wall with each thrust, and wound his fingers in my hair to force my gaze to his.

  “I love that look in your eyes,” he whispered. “Drunk on lust and ready to explode.” He swept his tongue against my lips, coaxing me to open, and dipped inside. I moaned into his mouth as he took me even harder. He palmed my breast, tweaking my nipple, then lowered his hand to my tender point.

  “Are you going to come for me, Rachel?” he asked. “I want to feel you let go around my cock. Now, Rachel.”

  He applied just the right amount of pressure to send me soaring. I screamed his name, not caring at all who heard me, and let go of everything. All my worries and concerns failed to matter. Erotic sensation was all that existed here, and it rolled through my body in arousing waves that Will had to feel. I buried my head into his neck as he carried me back into the suite, and startled only slightly when I felt the mattress against my back. Then it was beneath my knees as he propped me up and drove into me from behind.

  “Oh God . . .” I couldn’t believe how much deeper he was now, hitting a spot that mixed pleasure and pain over and over again, until another ripple of ecstasy crashed into me. My hands tightened on the quilt as my body spasmed from the unexpected orgasm, and I barely registered him removing his hand from between my legs to grab my hips.

  “You feel amazing,” he breathed. “So fucking amazing.” His grip tightened as he picked up his pace, and I tried to push back against him to grant him more access, but my limbs protested. Two powerful orgasms left me weak and depleted beneath him. My name slipped from his mouth on a guttural growl, and he collapsed against my back with a tremble that I felt pulsing between my legs. He lifted my hair out of the way and kissed the back of my neck as his body continued to shake against mine.

  “Mmm . . .” He nuzzled my ear and rolled us to our sides so he could spoon me. “I consider my point made.”

  I huffed a laugh. He more than proved his point with that little reminder. “Your confidence is well deserved, Mershano.”

  His teeth nipped my ear. “I thought we agreed on ‘sir’?”

  “I’ll call you whatever you want after that, sir.”

  “One more time. Just so I remember it.”

  “Whatever you want, sir.”

  He chuckled. “That’s two points made, then. Excellent.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Cocky, sir.”

  His hard length twitched inside me. “Cocky indeed, gorgeous.” He pressed another kiss to my neck and rolled off the bed to dispose of the condom. His slacks were zipped and belted again when he joined me on the bed with a warm washcloth. Why was it so sexy to be naked around a fully clothed man? I jolted when he pressed the damp towel to my core, and shuddered as another aftersho
ck hit me.

  “So sensitive,” he mused, rolling me to my back. His lips brushed mine while he continued to soothe me below. “For the record, I don’t care what you call me. I just wanted to prove that I could convince you to call me whatever I liked.”

  “Uh-huh.” I stretched like a lazy cat and sighed. “I hope you don’t need me to work tomorrow, because I think you broke me. All I want to do is lie in bed and fuck all day.”

  His deep laugh warmed me. “Maybe we can plan a getaway for after the acquisition meetings and do precisely that.”

  I brightened at that idea. “Really?”

  “Sure. We can go wherever you want after we’re done this week.” He kissed me on the nose and smiled. “I’m yours to do with as you please.”

  “Oh?” I lifted a brow. “Is that a promise?”

  “Absolutely.”

  I liked the sound of that, but it made me wonder. “Why the condom, then? Unless . . . Is there a reason we need one?” The not-so-random thought soured the moment. We’d yet to discuss his previous relationships, and he definitely had experience. Females practically threw themselves at his feet. Like those women at the hotel last month.

  “One of the things I adore about you is the ability to read emotions from your beautiful eyes, but I’m not sure I like the one looking up at me now.” He went to his elbow to stare down at me. “I’m healthy, Rachel. My last checkup was a few months ago, and you’re the only woman I’ve been with since. But I wasn’t about to fuck you without protection in the heat of the moment, not without proper consent.”

  “I gave consent.”

  “Yes, in a pleasure-induced state, darlin’. Not the same.”

  I bit my lip, considering. “Do I want to know how many women you’ve been with?”

  His sigh answered my question before his words. “No, but I can tell you a number if you need it. What matters more is that none of my previous relationships, whether brief or otherwise, compares to what exists between us. I’ve never felt this way about anyone except you, and I sure as hell have never tried this hard to win a woman over.”

  I snorted. “That’s because all the others likely fell to their knees with a single command.”

  He smiled at that. “Maybe true, but not you. I like that you made me work for it.” He palmed my cheek and kissed me lightly. “But yes, I’ve been with other women and I’ve dated, but nothing long term. None of them were right for me, and I found myself loving my company more than them. You’re different. For the first time in my life, I’m with someone I value more than Mershano Vineyards. You’re not just some random woman to me, Rachel. You never have been, nor will you ever be.”

  My heart warmed at his words. “I think you like me, Mershano.”

  He traced my lower lip with his thumb. “I think you like me too, Dawson.”

  “I do,” I confirmed. “Maybe a little too much.”

  “That’s impossible,” he returned playfully. “I’m very easy to adore.”

  “Oh, here we go with the arrogance again.”

  “Do you need another lesson?”

  My thighs squeezed together at the promise underlining his tone, and since his hand was still lounging down there with the washcloth, I knew he felt it. “I need to eat first,” I whispered, my stomach grumbling in agreement. His thorough fucking had left me half-starved after skipping dinner. “But afterward, maybe you could make your point without a condom?”

  His eyes glittered at that. “It’s a promise, gorgeous.”

  27

  Unknown Number

  Watching Will in his element all week left me respecting the man even more than I already did. He handled each acquisition meeting with a professional poise I admired while he charmed everyone with his easy candor. It was no wonder the vineyard owner wanted to work with him. Four days of meetings, and the deal was pretty much done. I’d emailed copies of the paperwork back to Janet for her review, but so far she hadn’t found any issues. If all went according to plan, the merger would move forward as soon as next month.

  I jumped as Will grabbed my ass. “Mershano!” I chastised, laughing.

  “In a dress like that, what the hell did you expect?”

  “You picked this one out.”

  He waggled his brows. “I know, and I can’t wait to strip it off you later.”

  “Mister Mershano,” a deep voice called from behind us. We turned as Javier, the vineyard owner, approached in the hotel lobby. My face flamed in response to what he’d just witnessed, but he didn’t say anything or acknowledge it. “I was hoping to run one idea past you before you go,” he said, his gaze hopeful. “It’s about an aging technique I want to try, but since you’ll be the one selling the product, I’d like to get your opinion first.”

  “Of course.” Will glanced my way. “I know you need to check in with Baker Brown, so I’ll meet you upstairs.”

  Right. Janet wanted me to call her with an update after today’s meetings. It was just after eleven in the morning in Chicago, which made it a perfect time to touch base. I shook Javier’s hand again and headed to the elevators with a wave. I could feel Will’s gaze on my ass the whole way, which excited me for what would happen when he joined me in the suite. I had a feeling dinner would come second to sex again. His appetite was insatiable, and not just for food.

  My phone buzzed as I stepped into the elevator, and I glanced at it, expecting it to be work. Instead, it was a number I didn’t recognize. I snorted and hit ignore. Since I hadn’t bothered to answer Ryan’s calls all week, it was probably him trying on a new line. When it vibrated again, I silenced it and then did that three more times on the way to the room before something in me broke. This had to end once and for all. I was finally happy for the first time in forever, and I needed it to be permanent. That required me to reject Ryan with a finality he couldn’t ignore.

  When the number flashed a fifth time, I answered. “Look, this—”

  “He’s there. He’s in the hotel.”

  Okay, not the voice I expected to hear. “Caleb?”

  “Rachel, listen to me, he’s in the fucking hotel. You need to run, right now. Go!”

  His urgent tone froze me in the hallway. I hadn’t spoken to my brother in months. “What are you talking about? Who—”

  “Rach—”

  Something hard slammed into the back of my head, causing the phone to slip from my fingers. “What the—”

  An expensive leather shoe appeared in my blurry peripheral vision and stepped on the mobile, shattering it against the marble floor. Dread tightened a noose around my neck as a familiar aftershave overwhelmed my senses.

  “Hello, little whore,” Ryan drawled as he knotted his fingers in my hair and half dragged me down the hallway. My purse fell from my arm as I struggled to loosen his grip.

  “Ryan—”

  He backhanded me across the face so hard my world spun, and then he wrapped his fingers around my throat to keep me from falling. My shoulders hit the wall with a force that knocked the wind out of me.

  “Shut. The. Fuck. Up,” he said through gritted teeth, squeezing harder with each word. “You want to be a slut—I’ll treat you like one.”

  He yanked me forward and started down the corridor toward the stairwell again.

  Holy shit.

  This could not be happening.

  Where are Beau and Sam?

  In their rooms.

  Right. Because Will dismissed them after the meeting and said he would escort me.

  Fuck.

  I tried to gain purpose with my heels, to push away from him and run, but his grip on my windpipe left me too weak to fight. My feet barely held me up enough to walk as he pulled me down two flights of stairs. Black spots danced behind my eyes as I fought to breathe, and then I was sucking in sweet air as he shoved me onto the ground of a guest room that was significantly smaller than the one I’d meant to enter upstairs.

  I curled into a ball as he circled me, and waited for the first kick to come. He moved
slowly as his cruel gaze raked over my prone form. His snort of disgust tainted the too-silent air. “Fucking pathetic.”

  He dragged a chair over and lit up a cigar while he studied me in that eerie way of his. Those vivid blue eyes narrowed as he blew out a string of smoke that only seemed to add to the ominous atmosphere.

  “You know, alcohol trade laws are a fickle thing.” He paused to take a long drag on his cigar, those midnight eyes glowing with malcontent in the dim lighting of the room. “It would be a real shame if someone like Mershano made a mistake on one of his many filings. Could even jeopardize his little empire, or at least set it back for a few months, maybe years. Would be even worse if, say, some of the paperwork disappeared. Especially while in the middle of an international acquisition. Have I mentioned my friends with the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau?”

  My blood ran cold. “Ryan . . .”

  His foot connected with my jaw, silencing me. It wasn’t so much a kick as a stern tap and served as a warning that he could do worse if he wanted. I massaged the tender spot with my palm and fought off the tears brewing behind my eyes.

  “What did I say about talking? Fuck, Rach. You’re smarter than that, unless all this whoring has gone to your brain.” He puffed his cigar again, his expression bored.

  “Well, I thought it would be good for my career to have an accomplished woman at my side, but apparently, allowing you to work on this project has backfired. You’ll be going home with me in the morning, and we’ll be starting over. The first thing you’ll do is quit your job. All your time will be focused on planning our wedding and the campaign anyway, so that shouldn’t be a big deal. While you’re doing that, I’ll have your things moved back into my house. Then we’ll start working on your behavioral issues and my expectations.”

  My stomach revolted at his words, and my limbs tensed.

  No.

  I would not be going anywhere with him.